Turkey hires US lobby firm ahead of Erdogan Visit
By Ilhan Tanir,
Washington DC
Whahington Hatti
The Embassy of Turkey has hired Burson-Marsteller for integrated PR services in the U.S. ahead of a visit by its president, PRWeek reported.
The contract, which began this month, is scheduled to run through 2017. The WPP firm is set to earn $1.1 million for the work.
Burson is responsible for supporting the Turkish Embassy’s communications in the U.S., including engaging public policy influencers through meetings and events, media relations touting the U.S.-Turkey relationship, embassy event support, and social media for the embassy’s Twitter and Facebook accounts.
The agency will also support Turkish consulates in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York with media relations and grassroots engagement with community leaders.
A Burson representative confirmed the firm’s work on behalf of the embassy, but declined further comment.
Last month, Turkey’s citizens narrowly voted in a referendum to give President Recep Erdogan sweeping powers over the country’s government. Erdogan is scheduled to visit Washington, DC, on Tuesday to meet with President Donald Trump.
The Turkish government previously worked with APCO Worldwide on a short-term contract after an attempted coup in the country last July.
Turkish Government and Turkish Embassy currently retain more than a dozen PR and lobbying work in the US.
Meanwhile, AKP Government’s newest PR company turned out to be previously working for the Gulen affiliated Charter schools operator Cosmos Foundation in 2011. It’s not readily available how many years Gulenists worked with Burson-Marsteller though it’s little ironic to see AKP government now renting a PR group which was working to repair its arch nemesis Gulenists’ image only a couple years ago.
Here are some of leading PR and Lobbying groups, individuals representing the Turkish Government in the US:
Mr. Rudy Giuliani’s Greenberg Traurig LLP: Undisclosed amount of money
Advanced Advocacy, LLC (via Amsterdam & Partners): $20K x 12: $240K
SGR Government Relations: $30K
Flynn Intel Group (ended): $530K (via a Turkish businessman)
The Daschel Group (via Greenberg Traurig – Giuliani) $432K
Capitol Counsel (via Greenberg Traurig – Giuliani): $432K
Madison Group (via Amsterdam & Partners): $17.5K: $210K per year
APCO Worldwide (ended): in different installations ~$750K in total
Monte Advisory Group: $400K
Gephard Government Affairs:
Amsterdam & Partners:
LB International Solution & Lydia Borland: $180K x 4 per year: $720K
Belvedere Strategies (via Gephard Gr):
McBeek Strategic Consulting: $20K per month: $240K
Jim Arnold (via Amsterdam & Partners): $20K per month: $240K per yer
Kindel Gagan (via Amsterdam & Partners): $20K
Ihsan Baytan: $7K x 12: $94K
Prime Strategies: $20K